Unattended Windows installation: Which app is a good one to use?

So I have a 5 machine home lab. No server and no domain controller or anything like that. Just 5 computers (Dell, Gigabyte & Asus laptops) I want to look and function the same. can you customize the unattended installation with settings and wallpaper (etc) so that it installs on whatever machine I use it on?

Want to install a uniform version of Windows 10 Pro to all machines. I’ve seen several Unattended Windows install apps (smart deploy, answers.xml) But unsure if they allow you to choose what I believe should be the default settings including power settings, wallpaper, account logos, etc…

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My suggestion would be to take a look at this fantastic tutorial from @Kari

Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10

To give you a quick summary, you would setup a so-called "reference" system. This system can be a physical machine or a VM. You can customize that machine as you see fit. This includes making changes to any Windows settings, personalization settings such as colors, desktop backgrounds, etc. and even installation of programs.

Once customized, Windows is generalized and imaged to create a new install.wim file. That install.wim file then replaces the original install.wim in your Windows installation media.

As a result, when you install Windows with your customized media, all the changes that you made to your reference system will be in place in that new installation.

Take a look at that tutorial, but if you have any questions, please post back.

I hope that this helps!

EDIT: Just to make this crystal clear, all the settings listed by you (power settings, wallpaper, account logos) and far more can be customized and captured in your customized image made by the tutorial I pointed you to.

hsehestedt said:

My suggestion would be to take a look at this fantastic tutorial from @Kari

Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10

To give you a quick summary, you would setup a so-called "reference" system. This system can be a physical machine or a VM. You can customize that machine as you see fit. This includes making changes to any Windows settings, personalization settings such as colors, desktop backgrounds, etc. and even installation of programs.

Once customized, Windows is generalized and imaged to create a new install.wim file. That install.wim file then replaces the original install.wim in your Windows installation media.

As a result, when you install Windows with your customized media, all the changes that you made to your reference system will be in place in that new installation.

Take a look at that tutorial, but if you have any questions, please post back.

I hope that this helps!

EDIT: Just to make this crystal clear, all the settings listed by you (power settings, wallpaper, account logos) and far more can be customized and captured in your customized image made by the tutorial I pointed you to.

Would that install media be only suitable for the machine from which it was referenced? can I use it on a Dell laptop and use the same on an Asus laptop?

kreemerz said:

Would that install media be only suitable for the machine from which it was referenced? can I use it on a Dell laptop and use the same on an Asus laptop?

You can use that image on any system that you want to install that same edition of Windows on. For example, if what you setup on the reference system is Windows 10 Pro, then the Pro edition is what will be installed on the systems you are installing to. Just be aware that you may still need to install drivers specific to your system(s) afterwards. But I can help make even that step very easy.

I don't want to overload you right now, but remind me to come back to this point later. So, here is what I suggest: Read through the tutorial from Kari. If you have any questions, let us know. Then go ahead and setup your reference system and create your new image. Before you deploy the image to one of your systems, let me know. I'll show you how to backup all your drivers from your system before you reinstall your custom image. Then, after that image is deployed, you can run a single command that will restore all the drivers.

Easy!

Just let me know if you need any help as you go along. Don't hesitate to ask as many questions as you need.

EDIT: One more question for you: Do you know yet if you will setup the reference machine on a physical machine or in a VM?

hsehestedt said:

You can use that image on any system that you want to install that same edition of Windows on. For example, if what you setup on the reference system is Windows 10 Pro, then the Pro edition is what will be installed on the systems you are installing to. Just be aware that you may still need to install drivers specific to your system(s) afterwards. But I can help make even that step very easy.

I don't want to overload you right now, but remind me to come back to this point later. So, here is what I suggest: Read through the tutorial from Kari. If you have any questions, let us know. Then go ahead and setup your reference system and create your new image. Before you deploy the image to one of your systems, let me know. I'll show you how to backup all your drivers from your system before you reinstall your custom image. Then, after that image is deployed, you can run a single command that will restore all the drivers.

Easy!

Just let me know if you need any help as you go along. Don't hesitate to ask as many questions as you need.

EDIT: One more question for you: Do you know yet if you will setup the reference machine on a physical machine or in a VM?

You're awesome! Thanks so much for helping me through this. I'm working through the tutorial now. Building the image...

One quick question regarding setting up disks. Not sure which one I should use: MBR or GPT

If you have a UEFI BIOS then use GPT, if you have a legacy BIOS then use MBR. If not certain, open a command prompt and run this command:

PowerShell $Env:Firmware_Type

It should respond with either "Legacy" or "UEFI".

hsehestedt said:

If you have a UEFI BIOS then use GPT, if you have a legacy BIOS then use MBR. If not certain, open a command prompt and run this command:

PowerShell $Env:Firmware_Type

It should respond with either "Legacy" or "UEFI".

My BIOS was already set to UEFI... so I'm building the image with that configuration.

Just a question regarding setting custom logos and wallpapers and such. I'm in the OEM Information answer file right now and it provides me with the place to add a custom logo. The path is C:\Windows\System32\oemlogo.bmp.

How do I add my custom image to that path? IS there a place within Windows SIM where I can add custom images?

Step 4.4 in the tutorial tells you where to specify the logo in Windows SIM. Sections 5.1 and 7.3 will instruct you with what to do with the actual file.

Let me know if you have more questions or need any help.

hsehestedt said:

Step 4.4 in the tutorial tells you where to specify the logo in Windows SIM. Sections 5.1 and 7.3 will instruct you with what to do with the actual file.

Let me know if you have more questions or need any help.

Cool. I'm making some progress... at Part 5 now...

Great! Glad to hear it.

It's almost midnight where I am, but I hope to be available another few hours. If for some reason I become unresponsive, I probably dozed off